The government has entered a last-ditch conciliation process with unions in the public service. Meanwhile, unions are picketing amid ongoing talks, indicating an appetite to follow the Public Servants Association (PSA) and serve the state with notice of intention to strike.

The PSA will officially begin their first public service strike in over a decade, with a "stayaway" on Wednesday, and a full-blown strike set to follow next Thursday. Meanwhile, several other public service unions hold pickets while they are in conciliation talks with the government at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC).

This comes after acting Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi invoked Section 5 of the Public Service Act to unilaterally implement a 3% wage increase in the public service. This was reaffirmed in Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's medium-term budget last week, which projected growth averaging 3.1% per year in the public service wage bill.

Nxesi's move prompted the Cosatu bloc of unions to revert to their 10% wage increase demand. The PSA is set to go on strike, with an estimated 235 000 members, and thousands more from other unions may join in downing tools if conciliation processes fail.

The PSCBC said it was in a conciliation process with the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu); the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru); the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa); and the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa).

PSA national manager Claude Naicker said the union had decided to start their strike action with a one-day stayaway on Wednesday, which would then develop into pickets and mass action around the country next week Thursday.

Naicker said once it kicks off, the industrial action is expected to affect the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Labour's immigration offices, schools, and the Department of Transport. He said essential service will limit their action to lunchtime pickets.

"Some of the other unions have not declared a dispute. In fact, they declared late. They are at the bargaining council and have asked their members to picket and demonstrate. They will have to give formal notice of strike action. Our strike begins on 2 November," Naicker said.

Naicker said the government has not returned with a revised offer and the union remains angered by the government's move to unilaterally push through a 3% increase in line with Section 5 of the Public Service Act.

PSCBC general secretary Frikkie de Bruin said the wage talks had deadlocked, as the state remained locked in a conciliation process with Nehawu, Popcru, Denosa, and Hospersa in a bid to break the impasse.

"The timeline in legislation is prescribed for 30 days. However, parties could extend the timeline. The parties then have the right as per the provisions of the LRA to invoke the process of strike action by employees or a lockout by the employer.

"However, we will keep on calling parties to remain around the table, even if the initial dispute procedure fails as the answer can only be found at the table," said De Bruin.   

Nehawu spokesperson Lwazi Nkolisi said the offer was rejected by the majority unions in the PSCBC, resulting in the employer using the constitution of the council in clause 17.10 (b) to withdraw the offer from the table. Nkolisi said Nehawu would hold demonstrations across the country as part of the programme of action.

"As things stand, there is no offer on the table. The decision by the employer to opt for the draft resolution falling away was confirmed in the council sitting of 3 October 2022.

"With the offer having been withdrawn, we have now gone back to our initial demand of 10% across the board on the cost-of-living adjustment and invoked the PSCBC dispute resolution mechanism," said Nkolisi. 

Nkolisi said Nehawu declared a dispute and the conciliation is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at the PSCBC offices.